1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to video processing. More particularly, this invention relates to a system and method for accurately capturing a video segment received from a conventional video player into digital form in a cost effective manner and without requiring time code information embedded into the video data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many video images and/or programs are typically stored on conventional media such as magnetic tapes (also referred to as video tapes). These video images and programs can be referred to as video contents. Once stored on the conventional media, the video contents are typically accessed by conventional video playback devices, such as VCRs (Video Cassette Recorder) or video camcorders.
However, video contents stored on these conventional media are typically difficult to manage and manipulate. For example, in order for a user to locate a particular image frame in a video program stored on a magnetic tape, the user has to view the program linearly or sequentially. This means that the user has to view the program from the very beginning of the video program. Alternatively, the user may have to view the video tape that stores the video program and a number of other video programs until the desired image frame is identified. This is typically a very time consuming process. The process can also be very frustrating, especially when the desired image needs to be identified quickly from a large number of video tapes.
In order to reduce the time one needs to find the desired video image in a video program, timing information or time code can be embedded into the video program so that the user can direct the video player to the exact location of the desired video image immediately. In this case, the user inputs the time code into the video player such that the video player fast-forwards to the location of the desired video image. This approach, however, still bears the disadvantage that the user has to remember the time code of each desired image frame.
With the advance of computer technology, it is now possible to store video contents in a computer system digitally. The digitally converted images, video segments, or video programs that are stored in the computer can be quickly retrieved for display. The digital images can also be digitally altered. In addition, the digitally converted video contents allows greater flexibility and ease of manipulation and management.
Due to the storage limitations in a computer system, only a video frame, a video segment, or a number of a video frames or segments of a video program are converted into digital form and then stored in the computer system. This requires the converter that performs the digital video conversion function to have a video capturing function. A number of prior art video capturing systems have been proposed. However, disadvantages are associated with these prior art systems. For example, one type of such prior art video capturing system can only capture video continuously. This system cannot be stopped and restarted when performing the capturing function, which means a large video segment must be digitized, stored, and then edited later. Another type of such prior art video capturing system captures the video contents at relatively low resolution. A yet another type of such prior art video capturing system requires proprietary time code information to be embedded or recorded onto the media. In this case, special device interfaces are also required. The interfaces and time code information allow the computer to control and access specific image frames from the playback device.
Thus, there exists a need to accurately select and seamlessly capture video segments into digital form in a cost effective manner.